


The Drunken Mistake

by rainbowsprinklesandcats



Category: Free!
Genre: Cheat fic, M/M, Swimmer!Haru, makoharu endgame, minor rinharu, swimmer!Makoto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 15:39:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15537429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowsprinklesandcats/pseuds/rainbowsprinklesandcats
Summary: Haru and Makoto are happy. Makoto believes they are. Makoto cannot see any danger signs indicating his relationship will be sinking faster than Titanic. But life just loves to take us by surprise right?





	The Drunken Mistake

Makoto’s playing with his guitar when Haru arrives home. There’s dinner on the table and Haru smiles. Makoto likes spoiling his boyfriend before a competition. As he closes the door, the brunet looks up and greets him.

“Okaeri, Haru-chan.”

“Tadaima.” Haru puts down his things and to settle behind Makoto and wrap his arms around his torso.

“Do you want my song or dinner first?”

“Your song.”

Makoto starts strumming the guitar and Haru recognizes the chords to Youth by Troye Sivan. Makoto had pegged it as their song when he first heard it on the radio.

__What if, what if we run away?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if, what if we left today?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if we said goodbye to safe and sound?_ _ __  
_ _ __And what if, what if we're hard to find?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if, what if we lost our minds?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if we let them fall behind and they're never found?_ _

__And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth_ _ __  
_ _ __And the stars exploding, we’ll be fireproof_ _

__My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __Runaway now and forevermore_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __A truth so loud you can't ignore_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth, my youth_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _

__My youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __What if, what if we start to drive?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if, what if we close our eyes?_ _ __  
_ _ __What if we're speeding through red lights into paradise?_ _ __  
_ _ __'Cause we've no time for getting old_ _ __  
_ _ __Mortal body, timeless souls_ _ __  
_ _ __Cross your fingers, here we go_ _

__Oh oh oh oh_ _ __  
_ _ __And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth_ _ __  
_ _ __And when the lights start flashing, flashing, flashing_ _ __  
_ _ __And when the lights start flashing_ _

__My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __Runaway now and forevermore_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __A truth so loud you can't ignore_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth, my youth, my youth_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _

__My youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _ __  
_ _ __My youth is yours_ _

 

Haru’s eyes are closed when Makoto finishes the song. He opens them and kisses Makoto’s cheek. “That was lovely. Thank you. Let’s eat, shall we?”

They spend the rest of the night, eating and idly chatting until sleep beckons them to bed.

 

Makoto wakes up to the sun caressing his face. He blinks as he tries to process it all in. That’s when he notices blue eyes staring at him. Makoto smiles at him and he is reciprocated in the same manner.

“Good morning, Haru.” Makoto reaches out to hug Haru. He feels, rather than sees, Haru in his tracksuit. He tightens his grip before letting go.

“I just wanted to say goodbye.” Haru kisses him on the forehead.

“Oh, okay Haru. Good luck.” Makoto chooses to bury himself under the covers. Too lonely to watch Haru leave. Makoto always mopes when he is unable to watch Haru’s races, and Haru finds it cute enough to let him do it every time. Of course, Haru would prefer if Makoto was there but as of the moment, with the two of them finishing college, it’s just not always possible.

 

__In the future, I’m definitely bringing you to all of my competitions._ _

__

Determined, Haru hoists up his bag and leaves.

 

 

Haru’s race coincided with Makoto’s midterms. But finally, he was all done. He had texted Haru wishing him good luck but they haven’t had a proper conversation since Haru left.

 

__I miss Haru’s voice.__   _ _I also have to ask him how his race went.__

__

Determined, Makoto picks up his phone. But just in time, it rings with Haru’s name on the screen.  Makoto picks it up with a big smile… just to drop his phone with a big bang. He doesn’t see the broken remains of his phone scattered on the ground, but if he had, he would’ve been glad. Because now, he can get the evidence of what he heard out of his life. He definitely never ever wants to remember Haru’s breathy moans with Rin’s curses and the sound of continuous pounding. To Makoto, that’s the worst blend of noise he has ever heard.

 

Since then, Makoto has been avoiding Haru. He called his parents to say he broke up with Haru and they let him stay in a different apartment, much closer to his school. He had packed his bags, left all the clothes Haru used to wear, and wrote “Goodbye.” on a piece of paper he had found lying around somewhere. School had been tough but Makoto drowned himself in work until graduation.Since then, he has been all about the hustle and the grind. He was able to work to a managerial position after 5 years. His workmates love him, so does his boss. He has friends all around him. He’s learned to let go at times. He’s been helplessly drunk. He’s been in a few relationships that’s always ended with a “you’re too busy.” He’s been through a lot but the one thing constant with him is the sense of emptiness.

Normally, he can shake that thought away with the simple distraction of work but, probably because it was Christmas and he was walking alone outside, tonight he can’t just stop thinking about it. His family visits him often and he has a cat in his apartment. He cannot fathom the why until... he sees it.

Makoto stops at the bookstore. There were magazines displayed in front and for the first time since a few years ago, he sees Haru.

His childhood friend looks cool and stoic in the magazine cover. For a moment, Makoto is tempted to buy a copy of his own. But just as he decides to go in for the kill, a person bumps into him and he wakes up from the trance. He takes a breath and walks away instead. He thought he could move on, that the bookstore would be the only one. But then, Makoto started seeing Haru everywhere in the crowded streets of Tokyo. From water bottles to people’s wallpapers to the digital billboards. Haru was everywhere. Makoto freezes on the spot, not knowing what to do. In the end, he decides he’s had enough of Tokyo’s streets and goes home after buying a chocolate cake to cheer himself up.

The following days weren’t any better. Haru would be everywhere Makoto went. The brunet starts to feel like he’s going crazy. When he finally saw the kicker, Haru’s face on a saba can, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. So he puked in the bathroom toilet. He stared at his vomit in contemplation. Tokyo was starting to feel constricting and he did not like it one bit, nor did his breakfast.

 

By the end of the day, Makoto had asked for a leave and went back to Iwatobi.

 

Being back home was refreshing. He had missed everything. He loved every minute of it. The town was quiet and Haru wasn’t everywhere. Makoto was able to shop Haru-free.

His parents had asked him to buy groceries. On his way back, he notices a throng of people by the beach. He wanted to know what was going on but there weren’t any openings. So he decides to move on.

But just as he takes the first few steps away, the crowd parts and a familiar voice call his name. “

 

“Tadaima.” Haru looks at him, searches his face.

Haru chuckles.

“Okaeri,” Makoto greets him in return. Haru drags him away into his car and they take a drive around town.

“Have I gotten famous enough for you?” Haru asks as he keeps his eyes on the road.

Makoto is surprised. “What?”

“I wanted to be famous enough for you so that you don’t forget me. Because I haven’t. I haven’t forgotten you for a minute, Makoto.” Haru pulls the car to the side and looks at his passenger.

Makoto laughs, one big hearty laugh. Of course, Haru had worked hard to get all that publicity for something other than just being famous. He’s never been attention-hungry.

 “What are you laughing at Makoto?” Haru looks hurt by his reaction so Makoto stops, wipes an escaped tear away.

“It’s just… I was going crazy in Tokyo, seeing you everywhere all of a sudden so I went back here. And now you’re here and you tell me it was all intentional. It’s funny how life is, Haru.” Haru’s pouting at that and Makoto thinks he looks adorable.

“I don’t think life’s funny, Makoto. It’s been painful, hollow and empty.” The swimmer’s tears were cascading down his face and Makoto falters. He hugs Haru tight and and rubs circles on his back. Haru sobs some more. “You were always there and suddenly, you were gone. I didn’t know how to take it, Makoto.”

Makoto tries to placate him enough and convinces Haru that they should talk at home. When they arrive at Haru’s house, Makoto prepares them tea while Haru takes a bath.

When Haru enters the kitchen, Makoto is sipping his tea.

“That was quick.” Makoto looks at him in surprise.

“I was scared you’d run away again.” Haru takes his seat across Makoto.

“Oh… I’m sorry.” Makoto realizes how much damage he has also caused Haru and he looks at his cup in remorse.

“So, what brings you here to Iwatobi? ” Makoto asks. Haru looks at him pointedly, as if that question didn’t merit an answer. Makoto shrugged.

“I wanted a break. I’ve worked so hard and I still haven’t gotten the results I wanted.”

“Which was?”

“You.”

Makoto was silent at that. He didn’t know Haru’s so open and honest now.

“Only for you.” They stare at each other, before Haru looks away.

“Also, I’m on timeout.”

Makoto whips his head to look at him. “What?! why?”

“Coach told me to. Said my form was bad and that I looked tired.” Haru looks at his cup for a long moment. “I’m glad he did. I got to see you.” He looks at Makoto and his small smile makes the brunet tear up again.

“Oh Haru…”

“I’ve really missed you Makoto.”

“I have too… I honestly don’t know how I lasted all this time.”

“Will you let me explain now? I’d really like to get it over and done with. It’s been eating at me for years and you deserve to know everything.” Haru’s gaze never leaves him and Makoto shudders a bit but nods. He still can’t resist Haru.

The swimmer takes a deep breath. “Rin won his competition and I lost, at that time. But he had been down because he had just broken up with Yamazaki. I didn’t want to face you because I felt so ashamed. I know you wouldn’t have been disappointed with me, I know that. But I guess… it was me molding my shame into yours because… I might not have been able to handle that. I should’ve really just accepted that and focused on doing better but… that’s what I felt at that time. I hadn’t processed it right. So anyways, Rin and I got drunk, wasted even. I mostly forgot about it really. But things happened and unfolded the way it did. I hadn’t wanted it, I hadn’t planned it. It really just happened. We were drunk and miserable. I’m not even attracted to Rin that way. But he was there, I was there and we were drunkenly willing. By morning, I felt like shit and flew straight back home...” Haru holds his mug tighter. “I honestly don’t know if I would’ve told you, had you not found out. I just wanted to forget it ever happened. I mostly did too. But you were gone and I saw my call log and I just knew. I drank more that night and just passed out for the whole day after. Days just passed in a hazy blur afterwards.”

“Haru…”

“It was inexcusable. I know. No matter the cause, the deed has been done. I understand. I’m ready to reap the consequences of my actions. I have been since you left. But Makoto… I have questions of my own.”

“Of course, Haru.” Makoto knows he hadn’t handled it well. He deserves this.

“You read my messages?”

“Yes.”

“All of them?”

“... yes. Some, way later than when you sent them.”

“Then, why hadn’t you replied? Why did you think a note saying “goodbye” was a good idea? Why didn’t you talk to me? Why didn’t you see me? Why did you leave me behind?” Haru’s pain is clear in his eyes and Makoto wants to make them disappear. But like his own pain, it can’t be easily solved with just desiring. They have to work hard to make them work again.

“I just… couldn’t. I’ve always been jealous of Rin. You and him… it’s always been one of my greatest insecurities. I had gotten past that. But that time… it brought out all the ugly feelings. And the pain, Haru. It was so unbelievably raw, I can’t even begin to describe it. You had still chosen him, in the end. And I knew Haru, that talking to you would make me want you back more. I wouldn’t be able to resist. I would’ve begged you even if you didn’t want me anymore. I did not like feeling needy AND insecure. I would have never felt enough, knowing you had Rin, fearing you’d crave him, but also wanting desperately to have you by my side still. It wouldn’t have been a good place for our relationship. I also thought it would’ve been a good idea for us to move on. I thought, maybe we weren’t right for each other. All this boils down to, I hadn’t forgiven you at that time nor did I felt like wanting to. I missed you, desperately, but the pain made it hard to just accept that. I was a prick for leaving you with just a note, I know that. But as you have your drunkenness, I have my pain.”  Makoto looks at Haru as he talks and he sees the various expressions on  his face. Shock, hurt, shame, confusion. They all dance across his features and but in the end, he schools his face back to seriousness and reaches for Makoto’s hand.

“But Makoto, I still choose you. That night was a mistake. One big mistake. I want to make it up to you and prove to you that I choose you. You’re the one I want Makoto. You’re the one I need. Whatever you think I have with Rin, it’s all superficial if you compare it to what I have with you. Whatever fire you think I have with him is just that. It lights up, blazes and dies. With you Makoto, I have the steady relationship of land and water, needing each other and working together. Makoto, it’s all competition with Rin. But I tire of him. We don’t match each other that way. Even after that night, I hold steady with the belief that Sousuke balances him. They got back together, by the way. But Sousuke hates me more now. Won’t even stand in the same room as me.”

“He’d probably punch you.”

“He has.” Makoto looks up at him in surprise. “I deserved it though.”

Makoto touches his hand and Haru’s eyes turn to him, hopeful. “I think you’ve paid for this mistake enough Haru.” Makoto nods and Haru launches himself at the brunet.

“I’ve missed you so much Makoto.” Haru’s sobbing into Makoto’s shirt but the brunet just cry-laughs it away.

“Me too.” Makoto pulls away and looks Haru in the eye. “Haru, if you had been stalking me, why didn’t you just approach me before?”

“i told you, didn’t I? You’re magnificent. I freeze when I look at you. Also, the shame. The shame was crippling. I sensed you didn’t want me so I didn’t push past the messages. When I lost all the energy to even go out, I moped for months until my teammates forced me to get up. It’s been a long and tedious process of mending myself since then.”

“Ah…”

“Makoto, you’ve used up my whole year supply of words. I’m too tired to talk to other people now.” Haru nuzzles his chest.

“Don’t worry. I’m here.” Makoto is patting Haru’s head when a thought occurs to him. “How have you been dealing with interviews then, Haru?”

Haru pouts. “You haven’t even read my interviews?”

“I’m sorry, Haru-chan.”

“It’s fine. You’re here now. They still say I’m cold and blunt, if that gives you an idea.”

Makoto laughs. “Why did I even imagine otherwise?”

They chat a bit more before heading up to Makoto’s room to sleep. They hold each other tight and have the most peaceful sleep they’ve both had in a very long time.

 

Extra

 

The following year…

Breaking News: Nanase Haruka wins another tournament, setting records for Japan.

The interviewer was a tall blonde woman, with her hair tied up in a ponytail.

“How does it feel to be able to represent Japan in the international stage and bring home records?”

“I’m very proud and honored.” Haru’s answer was short but Makoto can see the twinkle in his eyes and that proved how true his statement was.

“The judges have also stated that your form was top-notch this time around. Your best since the start of your career, they even say.”

Haru looks at Makoto behind the camera when he says, “I finally feel free.”

The reporter looks baffled and Makoto laughs. Haru doesn’t offer an explanation and they are signaled to wrap it all up. After a brief thank you, Haru walks up to his fiance, who takes him by the waist and twirls him around, proud tears streaming down his face.

“Congratulations, Nanase Haruka.” Makoto says as he puts the swimmer down, touching their foreheads together.

Haru shakes his head. “I want it to be Tachibana Haruka.”

Makoto laughs, incredulous. He nods vigorously, “of course, Mr. Tachibana.”

And for the first time in a long time, Haru feels free from the misery that chained him down and they’re both back home, right where they belong- in each other’s arms.

 

 

 

  


 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't proofread this. Any edits are welcome. 
> 
> I've always wanted to do a cheat fic and make Haru hurt lots. Now I get to check that off the bucket list.


End file.
